UPSC Express

Indian National Anthem Facts

​• Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India.

• The underlying message of Jana Gana Mana is pluralism. 

• Jana Gana Mana was written on 11 December 1911.

• It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress and again in January 1912 at the annual event of the Adi Brahmo Samaj.

• The song “Jana Gana Mana” was first published in January 1912, under the title ‘Bharat Vidhata’ in the Ratva bodhini Patrika edited by Tagore.

• The song was translated in English by Tagore in 1919 under the title ‘Morning song of India’.

• It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950.

• The song initially was largely unknown to the people, except to the readers of the Brahmo Samaj journal, Tattwabodhini Patrika, of which Tagore was the editor.

•  A formal rendition of the national anthem takes fifty-two seconds. A shortened version consisting of the first and last lines (and taking about 20 seconds to play) is also staged occasionally.